Oregon-based Consumer Cellular has signed a letter of intent with T-Mobile USA to sub-lease the carrier's facility in Redmond, Ore. Consumer Cellular plans to open the 77,000 square-foot call center on Aug. 1.

"We are very pleased to join as a partner with Consumer Cellular and help return hundreds of jobs to Deschutes County," said Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. "The swift reopening of this facility will mean less disruption and hardship for Central Oregon and the workers who faced unemployment."

T-Mobile USA in March announced plans to close seven U.S. call centers, including the one in Redmond, in June, affecting at least 3,300 workers. The company also plans to cut another 900 jobs from its Bellevue, Wash., operations. The six other T-Mobile call centers set to close are in Allentown, Pa.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Frisco, Texas; Brownsville, Texas; Thornton, Colo.; and Lenexa, Kansas.

T-Mobile gave the affected employees the option to transfer to the company's Salem, Ore. call center or one of 16 other T-Mobile call centers throughout the country. With this agreement, Consumer Cellular will offer employees yet another option, keeping them in Redmond.

Consumer Cellular also operates call centers in Phoenix and its Portland, Ore., headquarters. The expansion to Redmond will allow the rapidly growing carrier to handle an increasing volume of calls for new service, new phone orders, and customer service consultations.